The Choices We Make
by KissPookie28
Summary: What happens when Nathan is forced to make the hardest decision of his life? Will he choose love or just walk away? One Shot.


Nathan threw his bag onto the couch as he looked to his wife in the kitchen. "What's up?" he noted Haley's solemn expression.

"I didn't get in."

"What?" Haley held up an envelope.

"Duke, I didn't get in. They said they're looking for a more rounded person."

"Haley," Nathan said in a soothing tone as he moved to his wife, enveloping her in his arms. "I'm so sorry." His shoulder began to get wet from her tears.

"I'm pregnant," Haley whispered to him. He pulled back.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm pregnant, we're pregnant." Nathan began to back away from Haley.

"But h…how?" Haley seemed to be sheepish.

"Well I think you know the mechanics but…"

"That's not what I meant." Nathan shook his head. "I thought we were careful…I didn't think…"

"You mean you aren't happy about this?" Haley looked worried. "We're going to have a baby." She moved to him, but he retreated.

"I can't do this." Without another word, Nathan turned his back on Haley and walked out the door.

Nathan dribbled the basketball a few times before tossing it into the hoop. "Excellent work son." Nathan turned to his father's claps.

"What are you doing here dad?"

"I came to give you this," Nathan's father handed him an envelope very much like the one he had seen in Haley's hand earlier except thicker. Nathan snatched the envelope away and ripped it open. "A full ride to Duke. I'm so proud." Nathan smiled as his dad clapped him on the shoulder.

"Dad, Haley's pregnant."

"Well congratulations son." For once, Dan sounded sincere.

"No dad, Haley didn't get into Duke. That means I have to choose, basketball or a kid." Dan gave his son a pointed look.

"I didn't son. I did them both. At least now you have a little taste of what it was like for me." With that, Dan walked away from the court to leave Nathan alone with some thinking to do.

In what seemed like déjà vu, Nathan walked into his apartment to see his miserable wife in the kitchen. "Haley I got a full ride to Duke, isn't that great!" Nathan picked up is wife and spun her around, but she did not seem to share in his joy.

"I'm pregnant Nathan."

"I know, but I talked to my dad. And he did both, why can't I?"

"Dan?! Dan is your role model in life?! Oh well that's just great. So I guess that makes me Deb. In a few years I'll be all whacked out on drugs, but it'll be ok because I'll have great boobs and a psycho ex- husband."

"Why are you being like this Haley?" Nathan began to angry.

"Why am I being like this? Because Nathan, you're saying that you'd rather play basketball than be with me and your child."

"I never said that. You can come with me." He took her hand. "I want you to come with me."

"And what about what I want?" Haley pulled her hand away and moved to the kitchen. "I was going to show you this before you left. It's from Stanford. I'm accepted, full ride." Nathan looked down at the envelope. "I'm going."

"But I already accepted Duke's offer," Nathan seemed to plead.

"If you were that quick to jump on the opportunity to go to a school that you knew I couldn't go to, then clearly that's where your heart is. Not in this marriage."

"Haley it's just a school."

"No Nathan, it's our dreams. You want to be some hot shot basketball player and all I really want to do is go to Stanford and raise this baby." She clasped her hands over her stomach. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, prepared to tell him one of the worst eleven words she had ever had to tell him. "I'll be by to pick my stuff up in the morning. I'm going to stay at Lucas's for a while." She went to the bedroom, picked up a small bag that she had packed before, wishing she wouldn't need to use it. But deep down she knew she would. Nathan stood still, staring blankly ahead. She walked past him and stood on her tiptoes, kissing his cheek. "I'll always love you. Always and forever," she whispered to him. He didn't turn. Not even when he heard the door slam as his wife left his life for good. Not when he heard her car start and leave the parking lot. He didn't even turn when the phone rang an hour later, surely Lucas to yell at his brother.

"Mr. Scott, could I get a picture?" a small blonde boy appeared at Nathan's elbow. He looked to be about six.

"Sure," Nathan replied with a smile and he bent down next to the boy. As the boy's father commanded the two of them to say cheese, Nathan thought to himself. This is the age his daughter is about now. Six years old. Six years, two months, and three days. And in all that time, Nathan had not seen her once. After Haley had left that night, she had come back to collect the rest of her things and to tell him that she thought it best if they made a clean break. No communication whatsoever, no strings. No strings? Yeah right. She had his baby, there was not way to avoid strings. The camera flashed and Nathan stood up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of blonde hair. Blonde hair that looked like Haley's. Like his daughter's. He saw a picture once. Though he hadn't spoken to any of the gang since high school had let out, Lucas did mail him a picture of Elizabeth. Elizabeth, Nathan's daughter. His heart gave that familiar twang. What for? Nathan had everything. He had a successful basketball career, enough money to support himself comfortably for the rest of his life, and an adoring fan base. But he didn't have everything. He didn't have Haley or Elizabeth. "I've got to get out of here," Nathan mumbled to his agent as he pushed through the crowd.

"Nathan wait!" the agent called after him, but Nathan didn't turn. As Nathan walked across the atrium a small body hit his leg.

"Sorry mister," a child spoke. "Oh my, do you know who you are? You're Nathan Scott." Nathan looked down. She had aged two years since the picture, but immediately he knew who she was. He bent down and looked her in the eyes, Haley's eyes.

"Elizabeth!" a voice called. "Elizabeth where are you?!"

"Right here mommy!" Elizabeth called as she waved to her mother. Nathan stood up and looked in the direction of Elizabeth's gaze. There Haley stood as beautiful as she had ever been. She still took Nathan's breath away. Not tearing her eyes from Nathan, Haley walked over.

"Sorry about that, she likes to wander." Haley took Elizabeth's hand.

"What are you doing here?" Nathan mentally smacked himself. After all these years of pining for her and that was the best he could come up with? Haley seemed just as surprised about the words.

"Well…um there was a basketball game. And even though she's only six, Elizabeth can throw quite the fit when she misses a game. She loves basketball. I blame you." Haley gave a nervous laugh.

"She's beautiful," Nathan looked down at the little girl who stared back at him with big eyes.

"You don't have to tell me that."

"I missed you Hales." Nathan thought he saw a tear in Haley's eye. She took his hand.

"I missed you too." The two locked gazes.

"Mommy," Elizabeth pulled on her mother's hand. "You know Nathan Scott?" The little girl seemed impressed.

"Yeah baby, I do."

"And I know who you are Elizabeth," Nathan spoke to the girl.

"You do?" She seemed excited.

"Yeah, I'm kind of your dad." The little girl's jaw dropped.

"Wait til I tell the kids in my class. They'll freak. Nathan Scott is my dad! But if you're my dad, where have you been all these years?" Another mental smack.

"I…." Nathan tried to explain, but the little girl seemed to want to talk.

"There's a girl in my class whose mommy and daddy don't love each other anymore. Is that it? Do you not love mommy?" Nathan looked to Haley and saw the pain in her eyes. Pain he had caused. But he didn't have to think about his answer.

"That's not it. I love your mommy always…"

"And forever," Haley finished. They moved in unison towards one another. Their lips connected and immediately Nathan felt his heart heal. It seemed as if the past six years hadn't happened.

"Ew!" a little voice interrupted them. The two broke apart and looked down at their daughter.

"So how about we go out for ice cream?" Nathan proposed. "Your mommy and I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Ice cream! Mommy never let's me have ice cream. I wish you'd shown up earlier." Nathan and Haley followed their daughter out the door as she jabbered all the way. Nathan finally had everything. He had a family. And as Haley and Nathan walked out the door, their hands found one another as they had done so many years ago.


End file.
